Starmer condemns Sunak for making jibe about trans people with Brianna Ghey’s mother watching PMQs from gallery
Starmer says, of all the weeks, this was not the time for Sunak to make that jibe about trans people, especially with Brianna Ghey’s mother in the gallery. (See 12.06pm.)
He says, as PM, it is Sunak’s job to ensure all people in this country feel safe.
UPDATE: Starmer said:
Of all the weeks to say that, when Brianna’s mother is in this chamber. Shame.
Parading as a man of integrity when he’s got absolutely no responsibility.”
I think the role of the prime minister is to ensure that every single citizen in this country feels safe and respected, it’s a shame that the prime minister doesn’t share that.
Key events
Liz Twist (Lab) asks Sunak if he will apologise to Brianna Ghey’s mother. She then asks a longish question about the Teesworks investigation.
Sunak answers the Teesworks question, and ignores the point about Brianna Ghey’s mother, leading to MPs shouting “apologise” at him.
Elliot Colburn (Con) says every year 6,500 people contemplate suicide. He says he went through this himself in 2021. Luckily his attempt failed, he received amazing care. He thanks people who helped him and asks Sunak to back him in saying, if other people are going through this experience, they should realise they are not alone.
Sam Tarry (Lab) asks Sunak if he understands that the people he is making “sick bets” on are real people.
Sunak says he wants to stop people being exploited by criminal gangs. Why does Labour remain on the side of the criminal people smugglers.
Alun Cairns (Con) says people in Wales have to wait longer for NHS treatment than in England. Does Sunak agree Aneurin Bevan would be turning in his grave over Labour’s record?
Sunak does agree. It is clear the government should stick it its plan, he says.
I have updated some of the earlier posts with direct quotes from the Sunak/Starmer exchanges. You may need to refresh the page to get them to appear.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, thanks Sunak for his work on the Safeguarding the Union paper and says the union is stronger as a result. He asks about this week’s Policy Exchange report on Ireland and defence, and asks if he agrees Northern Ireland should play a bigger role in UK defence.
Sunak says he will look at the Policy Exchange report. But the command paper already talked about a bigger defence role for Northern Ireland, he says.
Tim Loughton (Con) asks about migrants converting to Christianity to help their asylum claims.
Sunak says the Home Office has asked for a report into this.
Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, says Sunak degraded his office when he accepted a bet on the Rwanda policy. Will he apologise?
Sunak says he and Flynn disagree. He says he thinks illegal migrants should be removed.
Flynn asks what makes Sunak look the most out of touch: saying the cost of living crisis is easing, or gambling on the Rwanda policy.
Sunak says the SNP government in Scotland is making the cost of living crisis worse by putting taxes up.
Starmer says Sunak should not be talking about tax cuts when he is “literally the country’s expert on putting taxes”. He mentions the £1,000 bet and asks if Sunak realises why people think he is out of touch.
Sunak says he won’t take any lectures from someone who thought it was right to defend terrorists.
Starmer says, when Sunak said he had failed on waiting lists, he thought the PM might be entering a new era of integrity.
Sunak says new figures out this morning have shown that just one Labour policy will cost double what people expected. (See 11.53am.)
Starmer says, if this is an NHS recovery plan, what is it recovering from?
Starmer criticises Labour’s record on the NHS in Wales.
Starmer condemns Sunak for making jibe about trans people with Brianna Ghey’s mother watching PMQs from gallery
Starmer says, of all the weeks, this was not the time for Sunak to make that jibe about trans people, especially with Brianna Ghey’s mother in the gallery. (See 12.06pm.)
He says, as PM, it is Sunak’s job to ensure all people in this country feel safe.
UPDATE: Starmer said:
Of all the weeks to say that, when Brianna’s mother is in this chamber. Shame.
Parading as a man of integrity when he’s got absolutely no responsibility.”
I think the role of the prime minister is to ensure that every single citizen in this country feels safe and respected, it’s a shame that the prime minister doesn’t share that.
Starmer says Sunak said it would be on him if he did not keep his promises. What he he mean?
Sunak says Starmer has broken almost all his promises. He says he has counted 30. He lists some of them, including on the difference between a man and a woman, although that is only a 99% U-turn, he says.
UPDATE: Sunak said:
We are bringing the waiting lists down for the longest waiters and making progress, but it is a bit rich to hear about promises from someone who has broken every single promise he was elected on.
I think I have counted almost 30 in the last year. Pensions, planning, peerages, public sector pay, tuition fees, childcare, second referendums, defining a woman, although in fairness that was only 99% of a u-turn.
The list goes on but the theme is the same, it is empty words, broken promises and absolutely no plan.
Keir Starmer also sends the king his best wishes.
He praises the bravery of Brianna Ghey’s mother, and says she is in the gallery today.
A year ago the PM promised to bring NHS waiting lists down. Is he glad he did not bet a grand on it?
Sunak says at least he sticks to what he says.
Fleur Anderson (Lab) says David Cameron said the government would consider bringing forward the moment when the UK might recognise a Palestinian state. Did the PM sign off that announcement?
Sunak says the longstanding position has been that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state when that is most conducive to the peaace process.
